The subject invention relates to the field of hand tools, and in particular to tools used to remove weeds from lawns and gardens generally known as weeding tools, or more briefly "weeders".
There have been many forms of weeding tools. It has been the assumption, accurate for many species of lawn weeds, that such weeds can easily grow back from any root material left after the leaves and stems of the weed have been extracted. Thus, the consistent goals of these tools have been to remove most or all the weed, including the root system, while minimally disturbing the surrounding soil and desirable grass plants. But with most prior art weeders these goals, (maximum root removal with minimum soil and surrounding plant disturbance), can be consistently achieved only with the application of a considerable manual dexterity, practice and patience. Even if the weeds were successfully removed from the soil, there remains the problem of quickly and neatly disposing of the extracted weed, since to leave the weed where it lay would not only be unsightly, but counterproductive, since the weed may become the source of weed seedlings, especially if the extracted weed includes a flower or seed head.
Prior weeding tools have not fully addressed these issues, especially for older users or those individuals with reduced back mobility and hand or arm strength. Any weeder, even those with elongated shafts to permit use while standing up, tend to require the user to stoop or kneel to complete the extraction and disposal operation.